Restless Hearts
by Mistress-Ryoko
Summary: A storm is coming...in more ways than one. It's effects will touch all those who live in the notusuallysoquiet Masaki residence.


...tap.. tap.. tap... 

Hello? Anybody there?

(Holds up a white flag and a sign that reads: Don't Poke The Bear)

Ok, before you all get your panties in a knot, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. Yeah I know I've been gone awhile, but hey, shit happens...right? In short, gotta new job that takes up a lot of hours and brings in the CASH! So the nameless acts of shame that we do not speak of for acquiring necessary equipment is over...for the time being. I'm still working on the fanfic Of Dreams And Reality, as well as the side story, but time constraints make it damn difficult. I applaud you for stickin' around, Goddess knows I don't have that much patience. Seriously, all of you who're still reading my stuff should get a medal, as your patience seems to be quite infinite...

As some would agree, writing a story can have an effect on you, so sometimes I shy away from it for a bit to write songfics (yeah...la dee da...). That and I don't usually use my hubby Dudeman for proofreading these little 'shorts', so it doesn't take as long, no waiting, no fuss... (he takes care of the BIG stuff...hey, I heard the giggles, that's not what I meant you perve...).

Anyway, here's your standard disclaimer (sorry, no fast forward button on these things, that is unless you wanna scroll down reeeaaaly fast), or at least standard for me:

I don't own the rights or even the initial idea of Tenchi Muyo, its subsiquent movies, spin-offs or what-not (even though the people who legally do profit greatly from my purchases of the sweet merchandise available through the vast links through the technology within my computer and my limited contacts). I don't profit from this little work, or any of them for that matter, however I am not opposed to selling to the highest bidder. Hey, anyone from Pioneer interested in making another movie using my stuff or even creating a music video? No! You s...

Anyway you can read, but don't steal. We all know that stealing is wrong right? ...RIGHT?...Hey! You in the back with the camcorder hidden in your coat...GET LOST!

As I was saying, I don't own the rights or any part of "Letting The Cables Sleep" by Bush either. That little gem is the property of their respective owners. I just heard it on an episode of "ER" and decided it would make an interesting fanfic (and yeah, it was a rerun).

Where was I...oh yeah. Just remember, this is all in fun, so relax and enjoy. Make sure your seats are in the upright and locked position, and trays are neatly folded into their appropriate compartments...

And if anyone wants to MST this little nonsensical tibit, go ahead, just e-mail me first and ask permission. And don't worry, I have a pretty good sense of humor about myself and the stuff I write. I've seen some of the stuff you MSTrs put out there and it's nothing new, Dudeman makes fun of me all the time...

Anywho...enjoy the ride...

Bush's "Letting The Cables Sleep" songfic:

** Restless Hearts**

****

The malevolent clouds over Okayama grumbled menacingly as the wind began to pick up, churning the humid summer air, providing little if any comfort to the inhabitants of the sleepy mountainside. Lighting had begun to streak accross the sky, illuminating the tree tops for a second or two, only to plunge everything into darkness again. The deafening roar of thunder shook the earth with such force that the ground felt like it was sure to split open from the stress the storm was inflicting.

She sat solemnly in the tree, watching it all rumble overhead, neither concerned nor ignorant of the tempest above, the result of several days in the oppressive heat wave. The warm winds blowing in fluttered her blue and silverish hair in all directions, giving the false appearance of a spiked halo. The freedom of feeling the wind in her hair, of letting the warm rain fall on her skin was something Ryoko enjoyed immensly, simply because she had the freedom to do so now. However tonight wasn't one of those times of enjoyment and care-free spontaneity, rather a reflection of the soul.

_ You in the dark_

_You in the pain _

_ You on the run_

The brewing storm mirrored her torment perfectly Ryoko thought almost bitterly as she sat back and closed her eyes. How much more could she take of the not knowing? Of the everyday humdrum of fighting and hoping. The rivalry was about to reach it's peak. She could sense it, almost taste it's bitter nectar.

For years she had told herself to hold on, only just a bit longer. That someday it would all be worth it. The day that Tenchi would decide. It would come soon. Surely it would. Just a little while longer. It became apparent that that day was not soon forth coming, as the strain was begining to show on the young man's face. The lines of restless nights were evident under his eyes, and it had on more than a few occasions in the middle of the night given her the idea to phase into his room to check if he were getting the rest he so desprately needed. The resulting action caused one angry Masaki male to scream at the top of his lungs about the importance of privacy.

But couldn't he see? He had to know she watched him out of love and concern. Everything she ever did since she was freed, she did for him. Wasn't that how it went? Wasn't that how it was supposed to go? Why couldn't he see and accept that. After centuries of unbearable confinement and control, all she ever wanted was to love and be accepted. Was that too much? Was that a dream that was just to unattainable, even for her?

And so it was this night, sitting up in a tree, just as it had on others, in the midst of a summer storm, without even the attempt to check up on the man she felt she loved more than her own life. Instead, she would sit within the semi-protective branches of Funaho, letting the rain wash over her, and repeat the vicious cycle of mental anguish for another night. And maybe, just maybe, the morning would yeild the passing of the storm, and a significant event for her...

...maybe...

_ Living a hell _

_ Living your ghost _

_Living your end_

Another bolt of lightening struck the ground somewhere on the landscape below, the sharp clash of thunder causing the young girl to cower a bit from the window to cover her ears. As beautiful as the weather could be on this planet, it would ease her mind to think that SOMEONE could control it just as they could on Jurai.

Still, it was better to simply look out the window and watch the rain sheeting on the window rather than to just lay on her futon and stare at the ceiling until sleep came. Sleep wouldn't come so easily tonight, however, as the small child crept back over to the sill to look out once again at Funaho.

So much uncertainty laid out before them, no real direction, no way to help. That's how Sasami saw it. Everyone doing for someone else without any result, feeling that everything was happening in vain, and feeling quite bitter because of it. She wished with all of her heart that she could help in some small way, and sometimes she felt she did. If only the strain wasn't so tangible, if the expectations weren't so great, then maybe everything would be alright. Maybe then they could all learn to accept the way things were and just let it go. Tsunami had other plans, bigger plans, at least that's what she perceived.

Sasami could understand, if only slightly, why the dynamics of this mish-mash family had changed. For the most part, they all wanted the same thing: to be loved by Tenchi. To her, the mere acceptance from him, even not much more than a beloved friend, was enough. Unfortunately, that's not how it was for the rest of them. The expectation of being the only one had left more than a few hurt feelings and animosity among the girls. The fights grew more frequent, even over the most insignificant things, and the slightest jab from Ryoko or Aeka to lighten the mood in the house was perceived as an all out declaration of war.

The blue haired princess sighed deeply as she continued to look out of the window at Funaho, visually struggling to see Ryoko sitting up there all alone. She felt for her, felt for them all, however all she could do was sit back and hope that Tsunami would all make it better in the end.

If only she could know for certain..

_ Never seem to get in the place that I belong _

_ Don't wanna lose the time _

_ Lose the time to come_

The drops of rain continued their descent from the dark, formidable clouds above with greater ergency, beating on the roof without mercy. The covered form on the hard wood floor behind Sasami stirred ever so slightly as the storm continued to advance. The soft breathing mass under the blankets could barely be heard over the thunderous racket coming from outside.

The eldest Princess cocooned herself as best she could without broadcasting her sleepless state to her sister, feeling the need to be securely wrapped in something warm and comforting. A bright flash lit the walls around her, making her heart jump inside her chest. Ever since she was a small child, Aeka never could handle a storm very well. Even though Jurai's government had the technology to control the weather, Funaho would once in a while call for a booming thunderstorm, reasoning that it made the senses come alive. Aeka, however, dreaded them fiercly.

It was all she could do to keep from jumping out of her futon and running full force into Tenchi's room, to feel his strong embrace keeping her safe. And although she would like nothing more than to feel his warm arms around her, she dreaded the sight she might find if she did just that even more.

The fear of catching a glimpse of Lord Tenchi in the arms of that demon woman, no matter how remote the possibility, raked at her heart. Why did Ryoko feel so compelled to blatanly strut around and continually place him in a position he clearly had no desire to be in? That wasn't how a female showed affection to a man she had every intention of being with. A real woman simply didn't show such vulgar acts of sexuality. A real woman showed restraint and control, while exuding an aire of genial compassion and graceful propriety. Only a wanton woman would make hollow promises of love through pleasures of the flesh.

A shiver of apprehension coarsed through her being as Aeka thought about Tenchi. Would Lord Tenchi ever give in to such base perversion that Ryoko had on more than one occasion offered to him? He was, after all, a growing man with needs. Would the man that she placed in such high regard fall for such carnal desires and shut her out? And in doing so, break her heart, and care if he had done so or not?

Aeka tried to force the vile thoughts from her mind, reminding herself that Lord Tenchi was an honerable man, and that he did indeed harbour feelings for her. She had to think that, she reasoned. If she even allowed herself to think otherwise, was it truely worth all of the heartache and emotional turmoil she had to endure on a daily basis. To her, Lord Tenchi was just waiting for the perfect moment to tell her, and find some way to keep from hurting the others. Sometimes pain could not be helped, but her beloved Tenchi would take all of them into consideration. And that was why she loved him, his compassion, his silent strength, all of it.

_ Whatever you say it's alright _

_ Whatever you do it's all good _

_Whatever you say it's alright_

Aeka closed her eyes as she sensed the small figure of her sister Sasami approach cautiously beside her. If Sasami knew that she was indeed awake, the little girl might ask her to recite a bedtime story to help her relax, and the eldest princess simply wasn't in the mood to do so tonight.

"Aeka..." the youngest princess whispered softly. "Are you awake?"

Aeka made no sound or movement to indicate otherwise, continuing to lay there as still as she could.

"Good night, sister..." Sasami whispered again, giving the eldest of the two a light peck on the cheek before scurrying under her own covers. "It'll be alright."

_ Silence is not the way _

_ We need to talk about it _

_ If heaven is on the way _

_ If heaven is on the way_

The soft pitter-patter of furry feet announced Ryo-Ohki's presence to Sasami, who upon noticing the small creature at the foot of the futon, invited her to sleep beside her. Aeka smiled a small gentle smile at the soft mewling sound the little cabbit made at Sasami's gesture. It was comforting to know that the innocent love of a child could always be counted on when it was needed. She would remember to make up for her lack of story time tommorrow when the weather let up.

Ryo-Ohki, for her part, snuggled against the small princess, listening to the sounds of the summer rain pelt against the world outside. Her mistress was out there, alone in the storm as it raged on, and no amount of coaxing would make Ryoko take shelter from it, at least not lately, from her or anyone else. All she could do was wait out whatever Ryoko was going through and hope everything would be ok.

The small cabbit knew exactly what was on her companion's mind, looking up at the ceiling to the room just above. With a loud purr, Ryo-Ohki nestled her head on Sasami's pillow and tried to rest.

_You in the sea _

_ On a decline _

_ Breaking the waves_

The night sky brewed mercilessly, unleashing it's fury upon the land without any signs of relenting. Neither ordinary man nor beast felt it necessary to test the bounries of their own mortality in weather like this, Yosho thought to himself as he stood on the stone steps of the Masaki Shrine. He himself would be inside at the moment if the thoughts whirling around in his head would give him some peace.

With all the upheaval in Tenchi's life, Yosho couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic about the whole affair. In truth, he envied Tenchi for attracting so many lovely females. What worried the old shrine keeper was not the constant bickering of love's rivals, but rather the impending strife that would soon rear it's ugly head.

_ Watching the lights go down _

_ Letting the cables sleep_

Yosho made an exasparated grunt at the thought of what was on the horizon for them. He had known since the day Tenchi was born that this day would come, he just hoped he could delay it a bit longer. He had kept his true face from his grandson for far too long, and now the illusion he had wrapped himself so securely in was about to crumble into a pile of dust. With Tenchi's twenty-first birthday approaching quickly, it was Yosho's duty as a Jurain Lord, whether current or former, to bring up his grandson in the ways of Jurain duty, a duty he had forsaken centuries before.

Yosho had figured that by now the need to thrust Tenchi into the light of Jurai's noble heiarchy would fade, however his tree Funaho had made it quite clear that it had to be done. Soon, Tenchi would have to leave Earth and go to Jurai to forfill his destiny, a destiny Yosho had disgarded for an ordinary life.

It would be foolish to think Tenchi was to be the only one affected by this turn of events. He knew quite well that the girls' lives would change dramatically, but their reactions would dictate their fate in a more dynamic fashion than Tenchi's. Yosho had to have faith that their bonds would be their strength, and what ever differences they had could be put aside in light of the task ahead of them. If any of them should faulter, it would have all been for nothing.

_ Whatever you say it's alright _

_ Whatever you do it's all good _

_ Whatever you say it's alright_

"I leave it all in your hands now, Tsunami." Yosho said softly into the wind before turning his back on the courtyard and entered the shrine. A gentle sound of thunder rolled across the valley just as the priest was about to shut the door. Yosho simply closed his eyes and answered the thunder as if it were a living entity.

"Please protect them."

_ Silence is not the way _

_ We need to talk about it _

_ If heaven is on the way_

The storm persisted in it's tirade as it moved through the night sky, refusing to give way to stars that so desprately wanted to be seen. If one wanted to think fanciful tales of magick and such, it wouldn't be a far cry to think that this storm was the physical manifestations of the combined forces of angst and dispair from all the inhabitants of the house. Washu shook that thought from her mind with a light-hearted giggle. Even a scientist, she thought with amusement, could think up some crazy ideas like that once in a while.

The resident genius placed her sake cup back on the table, looking out the window of the kitchen from her spot as nature's fury blew wild. It was never easy for Washu to sleep after dealing with scientific calculations whirling around in her head. In fact it had never been easy during her tenure at the acadamy. The restless hours were spent plugging away at some technelogical advancement, or simply reciting planetary algarythms to settle the mind. Even in dreams, she was always prone to some discovery of sorts, and would just end up getting out of bed to tinker with a new idea that had come to her. If only that were the case now.

Things were happening, things she didn't understand or couldn't by any means. It was just a feeling, along with intense observation of the family. The tension had become so thick you could almost visably see it. The usual tit-for-tat arguements between Aeka and Ryoko had become almost lethal at some points. Just yesterday Aeka had single handedly obliterated an entire field of Ryo-Ohki's carrots over a silly broom. Sure, Ryoko had snatched the thing and took off toward the fields, but she could've simply materialized a new one if Aeka had asked. Instead, it ended with the destruction of half the cabbit's prized possession.

_ We'll wrap the world around it_

The toll was starting to show on Tenchi as well. He seemed more drawn and unconcerned with any social activities that came up, opting instead to spend time alone in the fields or in his room. Washu determined a full medical check up be performed on every family member residing in the home. Truth be told she only wanted to examine Tenchi, however she felt that maybe group participation would relax him enough to actually agree to it. When as much was said to the young Masaki, she was met with total disinterest and simply brushed off, highly unusual considering he would usually stammer some non-coherent excuse brought on by high anxiety.

So maybe it was just that, high stress and anxiety levels based upon the constant tension building up around here, better known to most Earthlings as cabin fever. That could easily be diagnosed and remedied. A trip could fix this. Maybe to one of Saturn's moons, or perhaps the murky swamps on one of Jurai's distant territories? Even a trip to the Ginza would be of some help, for sure. Something had to be done, if this group was going to survive being together for so long. Besides, she herself could certainly do without mathmaticcalculations and quantum physics for the day.

Washu got up from the table and placed her dishes in the sink, a little smirk on her childish features. In the morning she would share her idea, and if they didn't want to be turned into water sprites for the duration of the summer, they would agree with great interest and zeal.

Another flash followed by loud rumbling, Washu watched the skies for a moment, and decided that hacking into some global satalites wouldn't be such a bad idea at the moment.

_ If heaven is on the way _

_ If heaven is on the way_

A bright flash momentarily illuminated the door to the room, bathing the wood in a blue-hued white light. It was amazing really to see how much power a thunder cloud could wield. A lot of power, apparently, as the wind continued to whip around the house, causing it to creak and groan from the force of it.

Power, Tenchi thought bitterly, as he gazed up at the ceiling. Power was something he'd never thought he'd have until just a few short years ago, only to discover he was capable of unleashing immense amounts of it, when he could. Power was something most men strived for. They fought for it, killed for it, even made sacrifices in the name of it. So why, after he had gained such a sought after legacy, was he not only afraid of it, but held contempt for having it in the first place?

To him, the answer was simple: it was the cause of all his problems. Maybe if he had stayed a normal Earthling boy, or even continued to be blissfully unaware of what he was and what he could do, he'd be free of the shackles that came with such enormous responsibility. To be one of the very few people on this planet to have the power to either protect or cause destruction was a heavy burden. He understood why his grandfather had run from his duties as first in succession on Jurai. And yet, he felt animosity for the old man for putting this on his shoulders. Could he have been happy just being like everybody else? Maybe, he couldn't say with complete certainty that he would have. Sure it was every guys fantasy to have five willing females fight over you and power to boot, but like most things in life, what you wish for wasn't always what you got.

_ I'm a stranger in this town _

_ I'm a stranger in this town_

And yet, with everything he was burdened with, the most disheartening was the constant bickering over who held his heart. It didn't do any good to disuade them from fighting about it, and to explain to them that they were all just as important to him as the rest didn't seem to help in the least. It always ended up with him looking like the bad, indecisive jerk he always bumped into in the school hallways. And nine times out of ten, the fights usually revolved around Ryoko or Aeka.

Tenchi turned over in his bed to look out the circular window of his room, watching as the clouds above churn angrily. That was how he felt, he thought to himself. Like a storm cloud waiting for the right time to burst. He feared that most of all. What if the fighting got way out of hand? He could lose one of them, then what would happen? More than one occasion had passed where Tenchi inadvertantly called upon the Light Hawk Wings when it became too much. Luckily, nothing had happened then. However the thought of next time was always in the back of his mind, and he couldn't bear the thought of what would happen, didn't even want to think about it.

_ If heaven is on the way_

_ If heaven is on the way_

Why couldn't they understand that it wasn't fair to expect this of him. When it happened, it would happen and then he would tell them. By pressuring him and constantly arguing over it wasn't going to resolve the situation. It only made things worse.

But what if he had decided, and simply kept denying himself that one decision because of the pain it would cause the others. It was possible, quite possible in fact. However he had never been the one to cause harm to anyone unless he knew for certain that the choice he made was made from the heart and truely without doubt. There were a few times when he had sat back and thought that he had found the one for him, only to think it over and discover it was just a moment in time, and not the actual person. He learned that little trait from his mother, at least that's what his father and grandfather always told him.

And yes, his father and his grandfather didn't always help much in this department either. Katsuhito found it quite amusing to push one of the girls onto Tenchi, smiling smuggly as the girl would blush and shy away. And his father's constant nagging and bold statements wasn't an easy pill to swallow either. Sometimes it was just easier to squirrel away in Noboyuki's vast library just to be alone rather than deal with all of it.

It was this constant pressure that had put Tenchi in an emotional rut. Not wanting to do with anyone because it just became too much at times. It was just easier to deal with lately if he just cloistered himself away from the others. Maybe then he could figure it all out on his own.

_ I'm a stranger in this town _

Tenchi rolled back around onto his side and closed his eyes, doing his best to ignore both the brooding weather outside as well as the emotional storm within his head and heart.

Maybe, just maybe he could return to being just ordinary Tenchi Masaki one day, he lamented to himself as he tried to find sleep for the hundreth time that night.

Maybe...

_ I'm a stranger in this town_

The tempest that battered the hillside slowly began to subside, allowing only a glimpse here and there of the stars shining ever so brightly behind them. It was sad in a way, Ryoko thought, that a storm could completely obscure such a beautiful thing so vast and mysterious as space. The storm might have come and would soon go, but another was sure to take it's place, she reasoned.

That sobering thought clung to her as she just sat on the wide branch of Yosho's tree, feeling that the next storm might not be so forgiving. All she could do was watch and wait for the time being.

** THE END**

****

****

Ok, so this one sucked. We won't even SPEAK about the spelling errors. Could've been worse, right? I heard that! Well, again, it was late and I got the creative itch (I think they have creams for that now). Still working on "Of Dreams and Reality", actually got a big chunk of it down. Just have to finish it up, send it out for correction and post it (hopefully before the end of your lifetime, as well as mine). Again as always, any flames, comments, critiques welcome. You know how it's done!

Sorry Dudeman. Next time, I promise.

_In Memory of Ryan P. Randall: You were taken much too soon from us. Your bright smile will always shine on in our hearts and memories. If you're standing out in the rain up there, make sure you send a sliver of light our way. We'll be waiting._


End file.
